Application of human iPS cell-derived vascular cell differentiation induction method to elucidation of vascular pathology

Cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis are a leading cause of death in developed countries. Various factors, including diet, exercise and genetics, can play a role in the onset of such conditions and the development of treatment options is complex and often involves the use of animal models. However, there are limitations with the use of animal models due to their inherent differences to humans, meaning that research results aren't always translatable. Associate Professor Daisuke Taura, Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Kyoto University, Japan, is interested in the use of in vitro techniques for investigating cardiovascular conditions. He is conducting vascular cell differentiation induction research using human embryonic stem cells (ES) cells and induced pluripotent cells (iPS), which can be induced to differentiate into any type of human cell, provided the right culturing conditions are present. In a world first, Taura successfully induced vascular constituent cells from human iPS cells, which led to important results in the establishment of vascular cells with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and moyamoya disease. Ultimately, Taura and his team are working towards a radical treatment for atherosclerotic diseases, and are also seeking to induce differentiation of vascular constituent cells using human ES/ iPS cells and explore their development and differentiation processes. Taura has been successful in improving on culture methods and, in doing so, achieved the differentiation of human ES cells into vascular endothelial cells and mural cells, and the differentiation of human iPS cells into vascular endothelial cells and mural cells.